Plasterer&#39;s trowel and the like



Feb. 8, 1955 JOHNSON EI'AL PLASTERER'S TROWEL AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10 1950 HI llll Ill] IIIH If INVENTOR. LeonJohnson fldelber l' z. Wesi'on g ro/wan Feb. 8, 1955 L. JOHNSON ETAL2,701,465

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A I, usm 'gilmggm L. JOHNSON ET AL PLASTEIRER'S TROWELAND THE LIKE Feb. 8, 1955 Filed Oct. -1o, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UnitedStates Patent PLASTERERS TROWEL AND THE LIKE Leon Johnson, Houston,Tex., and Adelbert E. Weston, Neosho, Mo.

Application October 10, 1950, Serial No. 189,358

6 Claims. (Cl. 72-136) Our invention relates to improvements inplasterers trowels and the like.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention contemplates certain novelfeatures of plasterers trowel formation and construction which,generally speaking, will enable a second grade workman to duplicate thework of an expert in about two-thirds of the time ordinarily required bythe expert for a given job. The foregoing applies particularly toso-called inside and outside corner formation and to the finishing ofplaster board walls, which latter present joints to be filled.

It is the general practice of the trade, when filling joints betweenwall board, or for that matter when forming either inside or outsidecorners or junctions between wall surfaces-to trowel-throw quantities ofplaster (or mu as the workmen call it) at lineally spaced points of saidjoints or corners, as the case may be. Such quantities of plaster arethen trowelled to provide smooth plane surfaces. And when an inside oroutside corner is to be formed, it is almost impossible for even anexpert workman operating with the usual plane surfaced trowel to producean absolutely straight or accurate junction between angularlyintersecting walls.

Then, too, plaster or mud tends to pass over the leading edge of theordinary trowel and accumulates on its back or hand grip side, which isof course, a nuisance as it has to be periodically scraped ofi. Also,the leading edges of prior art trowels tend to dig into and mar thesurfaces being finished and this tendency further makes it diflicult toapply a plaster layer of uniform thickness and finish it to produce asmooth surface.

Trowels made according to our invention overcome the diflicultiesaforementioned and by so doing not only make for the accomplishment ofbetter work in a shorter time than heretofore, but enable it to be sodone by relatively unskilled workmen. Thus, the cost of plastering workis greatly reduced.

A highly important feature of our trowels is the provision of anintermediate excess plaster-gathering working surface recess which inthe operation of the tool feeds the plaster to adjacent wall-surfacefinishing surfaces thereof as required. Thus, the wall-surface finishingsurfaces of the trowel need never be opposed to a plaster layer which isthicker than can be readily handled.

Also, having in mind that a batch of plaster mix will frequently containan excess of water, the excess plastergathering recess mentioned in thepreceeding paragraph is advantageously progressively constricted in thedirection of the wall-finishing working surface portion of the trowel sothat in the operation of same excess water will be squeezed out prior todelivery of the plaster to said wall-finishing working surface portionof the implement.

Additionally, and more specifically stated the invention contemplates, aplasterers trowel, or the like, having a plaster-gathering recessopening from its forward or leading edge, and which tapers to reduceddepth and width in the direction of the approximate center of a rear, ortrailing plaster-applying and wall finishing area, to which plaster isdischarged. The invention furthermore provides trowel-supporting workingareas at each side of said plaster-gathering recess so that in use, theleading end of the trowel will not dig into and mar the wall beingworked upon.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide aplasterers trowel which may conveniently be made from comparatively thinmetal stock so that it will have the advantage of lightness, there beingemployed novel reinforcing and hand grip-carrying means which preventdeformation of the tool when in use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention Patented Feb. 8,1955 will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference tothe accompanying drawings in connection with the following detaileddescription of the several forms of our invention which have beenillustrated.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the drawings disclose severalnow-preferred embodiments of the invention, but they are to be taken asillustrative rather than limitative since it will be obvious thatvarious changes and modifications may be made therein within tlflespirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereina ter.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used todesignate the same parts throughout the several views- Fig. 1 is a planview showing the hand grip side of a trowel embodying my invention andwhich is designed for producing outside corners;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the working or inner side of the trowel shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the back or handle side of another form of tooldesigned to be employed for producing finside corners;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the working surface ofthe trowel disclosed in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a trowel embodying my invention anddesigned to fill and finish joints between wall board;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the working surface of the toolshown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of theinvention as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters and turning to Figs.1, 2 and 3, this form of trowel is designed for finishing so-calledoutside corners, which is to say Wall surfaces which are disposed atsubstantially right angles to one another.

Thus, the tool of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a body 10 providing rightangularly disposed wings 11 of rectangular form which intersect at 12,as shown in Fig. 1.

The hand grip 13, as shown in Fig. 1, is carried at the back of thetrowel 10 and will be referred to later on herein along with itsmounting means which functions also as reinforcement for the plate-likebody 10.

Fig. 2 shows that the wings 11 provide trailing plasterapplying and wallfinishing surfaces 14 which are plane and extend inwardly a substantialdistance from the rear, or trailing end of the trowel, these surfaces14'intersecting at the straight line 15.

In carrying out the invention, we provide, extending from the forward orleading edge of the trowel 10, a concavo-convex formation, preferably ofcone-like outline, which forms the plaster-receiving throat-like pocket16 in the working surfaces of the wings 11 below the finishing surfaces14 thereof. The throat-like pocket 16 is in part provided by each wing11, as indicated, and tapers from the forward, or leading end of thetool to the point 16b at the inner end of the wing surface intersectionline 15 of Fig. 2. The concaved throat-like pocket 16 is progressivelyreduced in depth from its outer end in the direction of its innerterminal 16b. Also, by preference, the outer end 16a of said throat-likepocket will preferably approximate 180, more or less, the curvature notnecessarily conforming to that of a true circle curvature.

Thus, as the trowel is moved downwardly in the formation of an outsidecorner, the spaced gobs of previously deposited plaster will be gatheredby the wide open end 16a of the cone-form throat-like pocket andprogressively converged inwardly by the walls of said throat to beultimately discharged to the trailing plaster-applying and wallfinishing surfaces 14 of the wings beyond the inner throat terminal 16b.This operation tends to squeeze excess water from the plaster dischargedfrom throat 16 to the trailing plaster-applying and wall finishingsurfaces 14 of the wings.

Laterally of the inner end 16b of the throat-like pocket 16 the wings 11provide guiding and finishing surfaces 17 which are plane and terminateat the forward, or leading edge of the tool.

Earlier reference has been made herein to the fact that in the use ofplasterers trowels of the prior art the plaster tended to gather on theback or handle side of the trowel at each working stroke of same; andalso that the leading edges of same tend to dig into and sear the wallsurface. To obviate occurrence of this in the use of our tool we providethe forward, or leading edge of same with an outwardly turnedplaster-deflecting flange 18, as shown, said flange having the curvedportion 18a at the site of the outer end of the pocket-like throat 16.Thus, in the use of our tool, excess plaster is pushed downwardly andwill not accumulate on the back or handle surface of the implement.Also, the flange portions 18 help the operator to maintain at uniformthickness the plaster layer being worked.

Referring now to the hand grip 13 and its mount, and turning to Figs. 1and 3, it will be noted that the hand grip 13 is generally cylindricalin form although it may be of any cross-sectional shape. The ends of thehand grip 13 are secured by screws 19 or the like to the metal pieces20, 21 which are Welded or otherwise secured to the aligned U-shapedmid-portions 22, 23, respectively, of reinforcing bars. The U-shapedportions 22, 23 of these reinforcing bars have legs 22a, 23a,respectively, which terminate in arms 22b, 23b, which are welded orotherwise secured as at 24 to the outer surfaces of the wings 11. Thus,the handle-supporting means 22, 23, etc., reinforces the wing-form bodyto prevent deformation of the same in service, even when the U-shapedportions 22, 23, are spaced from the convex outer surface of thepocket-like throat 16, as shown in Fig. 3.

Summarizing the description of the tool shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, itwill be apparent that a novice in the plastering trade can form a good,accurate outside corner junction between wall surfaces. To accomplishthis, all he has to do is to press the tool against the corner with end18, 18a lowermost, making sure that the wing surfaces 17 are in contactwith the opposed wall surfaces, and then work the tool downward instrokes of appropriate length.

The second form of the instant invention disclosed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6is, as previously indicated, designed for finishing so-called insidecorners, which is to say, those formed by wall surfaces which intersectat an angle of 90, more or less. The instant tool is designed for 90wall surface intersections which are of most frequent occurrence.

As shown in Fig. 5, the plate-like body 25 comprehends the angularitydisposed wings 26 which intersect at their inner ends at 27 and providethe laterally coextensive plaster-applying and finishing rear ortrailing surfaces 29 which intersect at straight line 30 for a distanceinwardly from the trailing rear edge of the tool to the plane of theinner end 31b of the cone-form throat 31. The cone-form throat 31 hasthe diverging side edges 310 which terminate in the widened throat end31a at the forward, or leading edge of the tool. A hand grip 28 isprovided at the outer side of the trowel and its mounting will bereferred to presently.

The inwardly tapering sides 310 of the concaved throat 31 define theinner edges of the tool guiding and secondary finishing surfaces 32 ofthe wings. These guiding surfaces 32 are plane and merge at their rearends with the plaster-applying and finishing surfaces 29, previouslyreferred to, as shown in Fig. 5.

The forward, or leading end of the plate-like body 25 has the outwardlyturned plaster-deflecting flange 33 which has the intermediate curvedportion 33a at the site of the rear end 31a of the throat 31. The flange33, 33a functions in the same fashion as the flange 18, 18a of the Figs.l3 form of trowel.

Turning to Figs. 4 and 6, the hand grip 28 is secured by screws 28a tometal strips 34, 35 which are welded to the mid-portions 36, 37,respectively, of the plate bodyreinforcing rods which have the armterminals 36a, 37a, respectively. The arm terminals 36a, 37a ofreinforcing rods 36, 37 are welded as at 38 to the exterior surfaces ofthe wings 26, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6. The reinforcing mid rodportion 36 has legs 36b connecting it with its arms 36a and may bespaced slightly from the convex exterior surface portion of thepocket-like throat 31 without weakening the tool. As in the case of themembers 22, 23, etc. of the Figs. 1, 2 and 3 expression of theinvention, the handle-carrying arms 36, 36a and 37, 37a preventdeformation of the trowel body 25 despite the rough treatment to whichit may be subjected in service.

In operation, the Fig. 4-6 embodiment of the invention functionsgenerically in the same fashion as that disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.In other words, the widened forward, or leading end 31a of thepocket-like throat 31 gathers the plaster inwardly and feeds it to thetrailing finishing wing surfaces 29 at the point 31b (see Fig. 5). Thesurfaces 29, 32 serve to guide the course of the trowel as it is moveddownwardly of the inside" wall corner which is being formed andfinished.

The third form of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10,is, as will be apparent, designed for finishing a plane surfaced walland particularly, although not necessarily one formed by plaster boardin which there are joints to be filled and finished. In carrying outthis expression of our invention, the trowel comprises a generallyrectangular plate 39 having what may be (as shown in Figs. 7 and 8) acontinuous plane plasterapplying and finishing surface 40 extendinginwardly for a distance from its rear, or trailing edge and coextensivein width with said plate 39.

The mid-portion of the plate 39 of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 has thecomparatively flat-arced concave-convex formation which provides theconcaved throat 41 tapering from its wide portion at the forward, orleading end of the plate 39 to reduced width at its inner end, whichlatter is located at the inner end of the plaster-applying and finishingsurface 40. This concaved throat portion 41 converges excess plasterinwardly as the tool is stroked downwardly in use and delivers it to theplane plasterapplying and finishing surface 40 at a point betweenopposite side edges as will be readily understood from an inspection ofFig. 8.

Still referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, surfaces 40a at opposite sides ofthe throat portion 41 form continuations of the rear, or trailingplaster-feeding and finishing surface 40 and terminate at the forward,or leading edge of the plate 39, as seen in Fig. 8.

The handle 42 is shown carried by the rear surface of the plate 39 andthe drawings show the forward, or leading edge of such plate 39 ashaving an outwardly directed plaster-deflecting flange 43 coextensivewith such edge, there being a curved portion 43a of said flange at thewidened leading end of the throat 41. This flange, 43, 43a functions asdo the corresponding flanges 18, 18a and 33, 33a respectively, of Figs.2 and 7.

The handle 42 is secured by screws 44 to the outstanding metal pieces45, 46 which are welded to the curved intermediate portions 47a, 480,respectively, of reinforcing bars 47, 48. These reinforcing bars arespot welded or otherwise secured to the plate 39 at each side of theconcavo-convex throat-providing portion 41. As in the previouslydescribed forms of the invention, the bars 47, 48 reinforce the plate 39to prevent deformation of same in service.

When the trowel of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is employed for filling the jointbetween wall board the concave throat 41 will be aligned with saidjoint. A stroking movement of the tool flanged end 43 first in line withsaid joint effects eflicient filling and finishing of the joint betweenadjacent wall board sections.

However, since some plaster tends to shrink as it dries, it may bedesirable to form the rear, or trailing plasterapplying and finishingsurface 40 of the Figs. 7, 8 and 9 type tool with a slight concavedcurvature as indicated at 52 in the corresponding surface 51 of theplate-like body of Fig. 10. There, the plate-like body 50 of the trowelhas the inwardly tapering concaved throat 51 extending from the rearedge to the forward edge of the plaster-applying and finishing surface51.

Thus, plaster as initially applied to the joint will be convexly ridgedslightly but after drying will be substantially in plane with the wallsurfaces at each side. Thus a minimum of sanding will be required tobring the joint filling into exact plane with adjoining surfaces.

As to the inside and outside corner tools of Figs. 4 and 1,respectively, the junctions of the finishing surfaces at lines 30, 15,respectively, may if desired be rounded more or less so as not toproduce a sharp corner at the wall surface intersection.

By way of operational summary, it will be understood that each of theillustrated forms of the invention provides the plaster-gathering recesssuch as 16 of Fig. 2. This recess 16, as well as the correspondingrecess 31 of Fig. 5 and 40 of Fig. 8, opens from the forward, or leadingedge, of the trowel and tapers to reduced depth and width in thedirection of the approximate center of the rear, or trailingplaster-applying, or wall finishing area to which the gathered plasteris discharged. Such trailing or finishing area is indicated at 14--14 inFig. 1; at 29-29 in Fig. 5 and at 39-39 in Fig. 8.

The respective throat-form recesses 16, etc. squeeze out excess waterfrom the plaster before delivery of the latter to the working surfacessuch as 17-17 (Fig. 2). Then too, the working surfaces such as 17, 17(Fig. 2) at either side of recess 16, cooperate with the trailingplasterapplying and wall finishing surface areas such as 14, 14 (Fig. 2)in the production of good work. Such surfaces as 17, 17 (Fig. 2) alsosupport the trowel and prevent the forward or leading edge of the latterfrom digging into and marring the soft wall surface.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that tools in accordance with ourinvention may be expeditiously manufactured at low cost and greatlyfacilitate the plasterers Work.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. A plasterers trowel or the like comprising in combination aplate-like body, hand grip means carried at one side of said body, theother side of said body providing different surface working areas, oneof said surface-working areas comprising a combined plaster-applying andwall-finishing area extending forwardly from the rear or trailing end ofsaid body for a minor portion of the length thereof, saidsurface-working area being substantially coextensive in width with saidbody; a longitudinally extending throat-form recess at thesecond-mentioned side of said body and opening rearwardly from theforward or leading end of the latter and intermediate the side edgesthereof, said throat-form recess tapering to reduced depth and width inthe direction of the approximate midportion of said first-mentioned areabetween the side edges thereof and communicating therewith, whereby toeffect the concentrated supply of plaster to said first mentioned areaas the trowel is moved along the wall surface being worked upon, twotrowel-supporting surface-working areas provided by the said body andextending outwardly from the respective side edges of said throat-recessand longitudinally coextensive therewith, said last mentionedsurface-working areas merging with adjacent portions of thefirst-mentioned surface-working area and being respectively coplanartherewith.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 and said platelike bodycomprising a comparatively thin sheet metal stamping having a raisedconvexity at the hand grip side conforming to the outline of saidthroat-form recess, laterally spaced, transversely extendingbody-reinforcing bars terminating adjacent opposite edges of said bodyat the hand grip side thereof, and secured thereto, said bars spanningsaid convexity whereby to resist deformation of the latter and reinforcethe surface working portions of said body, and means securing said handgrip to certain of said reinforcing bars.

3. A plasterers trowel or the like comprising in com bination, aplate-like body divided longitudinally into two angularly disposedlaterally extending wings, hand grip means carried at one side of saidbody, the other side of said wing form body providing differentsurface-working areas, one of said surface-working areas comprising acombined plaster-applying and wall-finishing area extending forwardlyfor a short distance from the rear or trailing end of said body andbeing substantially coextensive in width with said wings; alongitudinally extending throat-form recess in part formed by each ofsaid wings at the second-mentioned side of said body and openingrearwardly from the forward or leading end thereof, said throat-formrecess tapering to reduced depth and width in the direction of thejunction between said wings and terminating at said first-mentioned areain communication therewith short of the rear or trailing end of saidbody, whereby to effect the concentrated supply of plaster to the regionof the junction point between the two wingprovided portions of saidfirst-mentioned area as the trowel is moved along the junction ofangularly disposed wall surfaces, and a plane trowel-supportingsurface-working tit area provided by each wing and extending outwardlyfrom the proximate side edge of said throat recess and longitudinallycoextensive therewith, said last-mentioned surface-working areas mergingwith the related wing-provided portion of said first-mentionedsurface-working area, and being coplanar therewith.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, and said platelike bodycomprising a comparatively thin sheet metal stamping, a raised convexityat the hand grip side of said body and conforming to the outline of saidthroatform recess, laterally spaced, transversely extending bodyreinforcing bars terminating adjacent opposite edges of said body andspanning said convexity, said oars secured to the hand grip side of saidbody at opposite sides of said convexity, whereby to resist deformationof the latter and reinforce the working surface-providing portions ofsaid body, and means securing said hand grip to certain of saidreinforcing bars.

5. A plasterers trowel or the like comprising in combination aplate-like body, hand grip means carried at one side of said body, theother side of said body providing different surface-working areas, oneof said surface-working areas comprising a combined plaster-applying andwall-finishing area extending forwardly for a minor portion of thelength of said body from the rear or trailing end thereof, saidsurface-working area being substantially coextensive in width with saidbody; a longitudinally extending throat-form recess at thesecond-mentioned side of said body and opening rearwardly from theforward or leading end of the latter intermediate the side edgesthereof, said throat-form recess tapering to reduced depth and width inthe direction of the approximate midportion of the said first-mentionedarea between the side edges thereof, said throat-form recesscommunicating with said first mentioned area short of the rear ortrailing end of said body, whereby to effect the concentrated supply ofplaster to the mid-portion of said first-mentioned area as the trowel ismoved along the wall surface being worked upon, and twotrowel-supporting surface-working areas provided by said body andextending outwardly from the respective side edges of said throat recessand longitudinally coextensive therewith, said last-mentioned workingsurface-working areas merging with adjacent portions of thefirst-mentioned surface-working area and being respectively, coplanartherewith.

6. A plasterers trowel or the like comprising in combination, aplate-like body divided longitudinally into two angularly disposedlaterally extending wings, hand grip means carried at one side of saidbody, the other side of said wing form body providing differentsurface-working areas, one of said surface-working areas comprising acombined plaster-applying and wall-finishing surface extending forwardlya short distance from the rear or trailing end of said body andsubstantially coextensive in width witr said wings; a longitudinallyextending throatform recess in part formed by each of said wings at thesecond-mentioned side of said body and opening rearwardly from theforward or leading end of the latter between the side edges thereof,said throat-form recess tapering to reduced depth and width in thedirection of the junction between said wings and communicating with saidfirst-mentioned area whereby to elfect the concentrated supply ofplaster to the region of the junction point between the twowing-provided portions of said first-mentioned area as the trowel ismoved along the junction of angularly disposed wall surfaces, and aplane trowel-supporting surface-working area provided by each wing andextending outwardly from the proximate side edge of said throat recessand longitudinally coextensive therewith, said last-mentionedsurface-working areas merging with the related wing-provided portion ofsaid first-mentioned surface-working area, and being coplanar therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS397,129 Hill Feb. 5, 1889 515,890 Walrath Mar. 6, 1894 1,999,367McCorkle Apr. 30, 1935 2,007,004 Roberts July 2, 1935 2,339,235 AllenJan. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,078 Germany Aug. 4, 1907

